This is a River Cottage recipe which we all saw being made earlier today. Lex was inspired by the recipe so we all made them and scoffed them. I would never have thought to add lemon and orange zest to the mix but it adds a lovely, zingy fresh taste. Yum. The original recipe is on the river cottage website.
For about 12 bars you need:
125g butter
150g light muscovado sugar
125g peanut butter
75g honey, plus a little more to finish
Finely grated zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon
200g porridge oats (not jumbo)
75g sultanas
75g chopped dried apricots
50g each of pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds
Melt together everything bar the oats, fruit and seeds. Mix the wet into the oats and fruit and 2/3 of the seeds. Pour into a lined 20cm square tin and press down. Scatter over the remaining seeds and drizzle with a little more honey. Bake in a moderate oven for 30 mins. Leave to cool before cutting in to bars and scoffing. Deeeeeelicious!
Saturday 23 October 2010
Banana and Peanut Butter Smoothie (v)
This idea popped in to my head earlier today. I have a bit of a thing for peanut butter at the moment and this even got Lex drinking it!
For one person you need:
1 ripe banana
1 tbsp smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup soya milk
1 scoop vanilla swedish glace if you want it to be extra thick and luxurious
Blitz till thick and creamy and then down in one. Remember to wipe off the mustache when you've finished.
For one person you need:
1 ripe banana
1 tbsp smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup soya milk
1 scoop vanilla swedish glace if you want it to be extra thick and luxurious
Blitz till thick and creamy and then down in one. Remember to wipe off the mustache when you've finished.
Mushrooms with Blue Cheese
This was supposed to be a baked mushroom recipe, following a discussion on twitter yesterday with @francesbell and her great suggestion for baked blue cheese shrooms with walnut bread, but when Ocado delivered the mushrooms they weren't really suitable for baking so I sauteed them instead and served them on toast. Oh my. They were delicious!
For one hungry person you need:
3-4 portabellini mushrooms, thickly sliced
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp blue cheese
1 tbsp oil
pepper
Fry the onions in the oil for 5 mins or so and then add the mushrooms. Cover with a lid and sautee for 5 mins or so until lightly golden and slightly softened. Add the cheese and let it melt into the mushrooms. Serve on toast amazed at yourself.
For one hungry person you need:
3-4 portabellini mushrooms, thickly sliced
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp blue cheese
1 tbsp oil
pepper
Fry the onions in the oil for 5 mins or so and then add the mushrooms. Cover with a lid and sautee for 5 mins or so until lightly golden and slightly softened. Add the cheese and let it melt into the mushrooms. Serve on toast amazed at yourself.
Friday 22 October 2010
Blue Cheese Toasts
This isn't really a recipe but it does add a lovely dimension to bread with soup.
For 1 person you need:
2 slices really good quality artisan bread (no plastic sliced please...)
blue cheese
Toast the bread and then smear blue cheese on top and let it melt in a bit. Serve with a steaming bowl of soup and feel smug something so easy tastes sooooooooooo good :)
For 1 person you need:
2 slices really good quality artisan bread (no plastic sliced please...)
blue cheese
Toast the bread and then smear blue cheese on top and let it melt in a bit. Serve with a steaming bowl of soup and feel smug something so easy tastes sooooooooooo good :)
Romanesco and Brassica Soup with Blue Cheese
OK cauliflower and broccoli then...
For 1-2 portions you need:
1/2 head each leftover cooked cauli and broccoli
1 onion, diced
small knob butter
500ml stock
salt and pepper
1/8 cup crumbled blue cheese
Sautee the onion in the butter till golden. Add the cauli and broccoli and stock and cook out till hot. Blitz to a puree and then stir in the cheese. Quick and delicious.
For 1-2 portions you need:
1/2 head each leftover cooked cauli and broccoli
1 onion, diced
small knob butter
500ml stock
salt and pepper
1/8 cup crumbled blue cheese
Sautee the onion in the butter till golden. Add the cauli and broccoli and stock and cook out till hot. Blitz to a puree and then stir in the cheese. Quick and delicious.
Thursday 21 October 2010
Quick Luxury Chocolate Sauce
If what you fancy is something a little more upmarket than ready made custard and cocoa, try this.
For 4 portions you need:
125g plain chocolate
200ml double cream
splash cointreau
Place the cream and chocolate in a pan and gently heat till melted and combined. Add the cointreau and serve as you wish. It's nice with chocolate sponge or over vanilla ice cream.
For 4 portions you need:
125g plain chocolate
200ml double cream
splash cointreau
Place the cream and chocolate in a pan and gently heat till melted and combined. Add the cointreau and serve as you wish. It's nice with chocolate sponge or over vanilla ice cream.
Cheats Chocolate Custard
This is a ridiculously quick cheats recipe...
For4 portions you need:
1 carton ready made low fat custard
1 tbsp cocoa
Place the custard in a pan and add the cocoa. Heat through, stirring well and serve slathered over chocolate sponge. Yum
For4 portions you need:
1 carton ready made low fat custard
1 tbsp cocoa
Place the custard in a pan and add the cocoa. Heat through, stirring well and serve slathered over chocolate sponge. Yum
Quick Chocolate Pudding
This is a perfect, speedy, after work pudding for when you need something comforting. Think school dinners but in a good way.
For 4 portions you need:
100g self raising flour
100g butter
100g vanilla sugar
50ml milk
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 eggs
Blitz everything together, adding some more milk if you need to (it should be quite a wet batter). Scrape in to a buttered pyrex dish and cover loosely with clingfilm. Nuke on high for 3-4 mins till risen and just cooked. Serve with hot chocolate sauce.
For 4 portions you need:
100g self raising flour
100g butter
100g vanilla sugar
50ml milk
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 eggs
Blitz everything together, adding some more milk if you need to (it should be quite a wet batter). Scrape in to a buttered pyrex dish and cover loosely with clingfilm. Nuke on high for 3-4 mins till risen and just cooked. Serve with hot chocolate sauce.
Sunday 17 October 2010
Nigella's Marble Cake
I tried to make this a few weeks ago and mis-read the instructions by adding the cocoa to the whole mix... I got it right this time but my new bundt tin made the cake stick so I now have two halves, grrr. It tastes nice tho...!
For about 20 slices you need:
250g butter, plain flour and caster sugar
1/2 tsp bicarb
1 & 1/2 tsp baking powder
juice and zest of an orange
1 tbsp milk
2 tbsp cocoa powder
4 eggs
Place everything APART from the milk and cocoa powder into a food processor and blitz till it forms a smooth batter. Take out half and add it to the milk and cocoa powder. Grease a tin and dollop in alternate spoonfuls of the batter. Swirl with a skewer to make the marbled effect. Bake in a moderate oven for 30-45 mins till risen and cooked. Leave to cool and then scoff.
For about 20 slices you need:
250g butter, plain flour and caster sugar
1/2 tsp bicarb
1 & 1/2 tsp baking powder
juice and zest of an orange
1 tbsp milk
2 tbsp cocoa powder
4 eggs
Place everything APART from the milk and cocoa powder into a food processor and blitz till it forms a smooth batter. Take out half and add it to the milk and cocoa powder. Grease a tin and dollop in alternate spoonfuls of the batter. Swirl with a skewer to make the marbled effect. Bake in a moderate oven for 30-45 mins till risen and cooked. Leave to cool and then scoff.
Creamy Carrot and Cashew Curry (v)
This is based on a Keralan curry as it's creamy and vibrant. It also tastes rather nice too.
For 4-6 people you need:
125g cashews
2 onions, chopped
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp ginger, grated
2 tbsp oil
2 dried chillies, crumbled
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 carrot, diced
1 400ml can coconut milk
1 tsp tumeric
Place the cashews and onion in a pan with the oil and fry for 5 mins or so till golden. Add everything else and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 15 mins or so until the carrot is tender. Serve with rice and roti.
For 4-6 people you need:
125g cashews
2 onions, chopped
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp ginger, grated
2 tbsp oil
2 dried chillies, crumbled
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 carrot, diced
1 400ml can coconut milk
1 tsp tumeric
Place the cashews and onion in a pan with the oil and fry for 5 mins or so till golden. Add everything else and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 15 mins or so until the carrot is tender. Serve with rice and roti.
Spiced Cauliflower and Peas (v)
Yes it's Sunday. Yes it's curry night... This is quite a dry curry but very tasty too.
For 4-6 people you need:
1 head cauliflower broken into medium florets
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground tumeric
1 tablespoon ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, crushed
125ml veg stock
125g frozen peas
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 dried chillies, crumbled
3 tbsp oil
2 tsp mustard seeds
1 onion, sliced
Place the cauli and spices in a bowl and toss to coat. Add the oil to a pan and heat. Tumble in the cauli and stir fry for 5 mins or so. Cover with a lid and leave to steam fry for a further 5 mins. Add everything else and cover again. Keep stirring often for 10 mins or so until everything is tender and fragrant and cooked. Delish.
For 4-6 people you need:
1 head cauliflower broken into medium florets
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground tumeric
1 tablespoon ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, crushed
125ml veg stock
125g frozen peas
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 dried chillies, crumbled
3 tbsp oil
2 tsp mustard seeds
1 onion, sliced
Place the cauli and spices in a bowl and toss to coat. Add the oil to a pan and heat. Tumble in the cauli and stir fry for 5 mins or so. Cover with a lid and leave to steam fry for a further 5 mins. Add everything else and cover again. Keep stirring often for 10 mins or so until everything is tender and fragrant and cooked. Delish.
Naughty Coffee
This is what Lex calls it when I add booze to my coffee. You may know it by the name of Irish coffee...
I like mine made with Kahlua.
For one person you need:
200ml fresh coffee
1 tsp sugar
2 shots kahlua
1/8 cup double cream, very lightly whipped
Make the coffee and add the sugar and booze. Whip the cream and then carefully pour it onto the hot coffee over the back of a spoon. Revel in amazement as it floats on the top of the coffee. Drink feeling indulgent...
I like mine made with Kahlua.
For one person you need:
200ml fresh coffee
1 tsp sugar
2 shots kahlua
1/8 cup double cream, very lightly whipped
Make the coffee and add the sugar and booze. Whip the cream and then carefully pour it onto the hot coffee over the back of a spoon. Revel in amazement as it floats on the top of the coffee. Drink feeling indulgent...
Sweet Potato, Squash and Olive Tagine (v)
This is a lovely warming dish, perfect for the cooler Autumnal air which has arrived.
For 4-6 people you need:
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and roughly diced
1 squash, cut into wedges and deseeded (no need to peel)
3-4 red onions, halved
1 heaped teaspoon of ras-el-halout
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tin tomatoes
1 tin chickpeas, drained
handful olives
2 tsp harissa
Toss the sweet potatoes, onions and squash in some olive oil and the ras-el-halout. Season. Roast in a hot oven for 20 mins or so and then remove the potatoes and onions, leaving the squash in for a further 15 mins. Meanwhile heat the tomatoes with the chickpeas, olives and harrissa in a large pan. Once the potatoes etc are done add them to the stew base. Top up the liquid level with 1/2 can water. Fork the squash off of the skin and add to the tagine. Check the seasoning and then serve with cous cous.
For 4-6 people you need:
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and roughly diced
1 squash, cut into wedges and deseeded (no need to peel)
3-4 red onions, halved
1 heaped teaspoon of ras-el-halout
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tin tomatoes
1 tin chickpeas, drained
handful olives
2 tsp harissa
Toss the sweet potatoes, onions and squash in some olive oil and the ras-el-halout. Season. Roast in a hot oven for 20 mins or so and then remove the potatoes and onions, leaving the squash in for a further 15 mins. Meanwhile heat the tomatoes with the chickpeas, olives and harrissa in a large pan. Once the potatoes etc are done add them to the stew base. Top up the liquid level with 1/2 can water. Fork the squash off of the skin and add to the tagine. Check the seasoning and then serve with cous cous.
Pasta Bake with Three Cheeses
Another one to use up the milk glut...
For 2-3 people you need:
200g pasta
1 pint milk
1.5oz butter
1.5oz flour
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp french mustard
1 cup mature cheddar, grated
4 slices emmental
1/4 cup grated parmesan
4-6 cherry tomatoes, halved
Cook the pasta. Meanwhile make the cheese sauce by placing the milk, butter and flour in a pan and heating gently. Bring to the boil and mix thoroughly to ensure a smooth sauce. Add 2/3 of the cheddar and the mustards. Season to taste. Drain the pasta and mix in the sauce. Pour into a gratin dish and top with the remaining cheeses and tomatoes. Bake in a hot oven for 30 mins or so till golden and bubbling. Serve with a simple green salad.
For 2-3 people you need:
200g pasta
1 pint milk
1.5oz butter
1.5oz flour
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp french mustard
1 cup mature cheddar, grated
4 slices emmental
1/4 cup grated parmesan
4-6 cherry tomatoes, halved
Cook the pasta. Meanwhile make the cheese sauce by placing the milk, butter and flour in a pan and heating gently. Bring to the boil and mix thoroughly to ensure a smooth sauce. Add 2/3 of the cheddar and the mustards. Season to taste. Drain the pasta and mix in the sauce. Pour into a gratin dish and top with the remaining cheeses and tomatoes. Bake in a hot oven for 30 mins or so till golden and bubbling. Serve with a simple green salad.
Chocolate and Orange Brioche Pudding
We had a bit of a milk glut this weekend so needed something to soak some of it up (geddit). This is an easy one to throw together but tastes really light and creamy. You can of course substitute cream for some of the milk.
For 4-6 portions you need:
5 chocolate chip brioche rolls, spit in half lengthways
2-3 tbsp marmalade
650ml milk
4 eggs
2 tbsp sugar
Spread the marmalade on the brioche and lay them in a baking dish. Mix the milk, eggs and sugar together and pour over. Leave to soak for at least 15 mins then bake in a moderate oven for 30-45 mins.
For 4-6 portions you need:
5 chocolate chip brioche rolls, spit in half lengthways
2-3 tbsp marmalade
650ml milk
4 eggs
2 tbsp sugar
Spread the marmalade on the brioche and lay them in a baking dish. Mix the milk, eggs and sugar together and pour over. Leave to soak for at least 15 mins then bake in a moderate oven for 30-45 mins.
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